A rather big day for COD:Black Ops with Treyarch rolling out the long coming “comprehensive” 1.07 patch updating single player, multiplayer, dedicated servers and the RCON tool; rolling out the two month old First Strike DLC containing four new multiplayer maps and one new Zombies map and finally to go along with the game updates and the DLC the PC community gets an exclusive Double XP weekend. So what all is in this big “comprehensive” patch that has been taking so long and what isn’t – read on to find out.

The COD:Black Ops Patch History page is updated for all the updates but the original the original post from JD_2020 regarding the 1.07 patch is below with the included list of changes.

[check_list]

  • Improved stability for Zombies, Multiplayer, and Dedicated Servers
  • Fixed server hitching when client is kicked for inactivity
  • Added server browser Filter for DLC
  • Quickmatch will prioritize servers running only the maps you own
  • Addressed various MP and Zombies exploits
  • Addition of the “Dolly Cam” editing mode in Theater
  • Improved reliability of Recent Game films saving properly
  • Connectivity improvements for Zombies
  • Added ability to remove Counter Spy-Plane effects with the Jammer
  • Players that put an enemy into Second Chance are now credited with a kill when the downed player is killed or takes the ‘coward’s way out’
  • Players will no longer receive any “hitmarkers” for shooting friendly equipment
  • Addressed an issue with switching classes while using a Chopper Gunner / Gunship
  • Disable player movement sounds when Ninja perk is equipped
  • Players can no longer “spawn tube” with the China Lake at the beginning of a match
  • Additional fine-tuning of audio levels for bomb plants/defuses
  • Headshot “ping” is now only audible if enemy dies
  • Limit the ability to re-roll supply drops using Hardline Pro to Care Packages only, no other Killstreak drops
  • Addressed an issue where the incorrect perks would appear when spectating another player under certain circumstances
  • RC-XD adjustments
  • Addressed an issue with calling in Chopper Gunner / Gunship immediately after being shot down from a previous one
  • Various improvements to Multiplayer and Zombies leaderboards

[/check_list]

So it seems that there is quite a bit covered in this patch but what is missing? Well the biggest would have to be the weapon changes. In past XBOX updates dating the whole way back to December 13th until now there have been multiple adjustments to the sniper rifles and also adjustments to the AK74u and the horrible knife lunge. Why has the PC community not been given these adjustments? Are they not needed because of the platform differences? I think they are – especially the sniper rifles and the ridiculous sliding across the map 10 feet knife lunge. Another thing that is still missing – again dating back to the December 13th XBOX update; is the addition of a delay on the red diamond enemy indicators that are used to show enemy players locations when someone is controlling Valkyrie Rockets, a Chopper Gunner or a Gunship. This is a huge cause of spawn killing right now with the Chopper Gunner because as soon as a players spawns the player basically has a target on them – whereas with the patch there is a slight delay before this red enemy player indicator appears on you and it gives you a chance to equip your anti-aircraft gun. Since this change wasn’t in this patch I am starting to think that it isn’t coming at all – like the previously mentioned weapon adjustments. As far as map changes; there was an exploit on Array where you could jump from a window into a group of filing cabinets and shoot without being able to be killed and it has finally gotten fixed but the biggest map issues involving railings that can’t be shot through on both Crisis and Hanoi are still not corrected. There is only one location on Hanoi but there are multiple locations around the one building that this issue affects on Crisis but I just don’t understand why this is such a big deal to fix. So to sum it all up; this patch did do some good but it still was quite focused on bug fixes and stability when that should be over and done with by now for the most part. Five months after release the patches should be focused on adjusting and improving the game and gameplay itself. The above mentioned issues should not still exist; especially when other platforms have had them for almost four months – it’s almost as bad as waiting for the DLC.

Speaking of DLC. The PC community will finally get it’s hands on the First Strike DLC today as well. Personally other than the release videos that have been coming from Treyarch on the First Strike DLC I haven’t seen much on it but I am anxious to see how the maps play and will find out here shortly. I debated on supporting the COD series further and buying the DLC would definitely do that – however the way I am looking at it now is I am buying the DLC because this will most likely be the last COD title that I purchase and I might as well play the game to it’s fullest extent while it is still up and running pretty strong. That and the fact that not too many other games that are releasing right now look very appealing to me at all. At least this time around the DLC maps are all “new” maps and not just random maps regurgitated from previous titles like COD:Modern Warfare 2 has done in the past.

To go along with the DLC maps being released on the PC; the PC community will get an exclusive weekend of Double XP to celebrate the release so I am off to get some games in and check out the new maps. Feel free to join me in the testing on the CODV DEMO & DOM SERVER.

[ratings]